Death Changed My Opinion Of You

Prologue

Luke stared at the abandoned manor, one that he knew all too well. Yanna was by his side, begging him to not go.

"Love, it'll be alright. We'll end your sister's reign and restore peace to Kalna."

Yanna had tears in her eyes, and her voice grew louder and louder.

"LUKE! LISTEN TO ME! YOU'LL DIE IF YOU CHALLENGE HER! IT'S NOT WORTH SACRIFICING YOUR LIFE JUST FOR A CHANCE TO KILL HER, A CHANCE THAT NIGHT NOT EVEN HAPPEN!"

"Love, please-"

"I DON'T WANT YOU GETTING HURT, LUKE! I DON'T WANT TO SEE MY SISTER DRAGGING YOUR BODY AND DUMPING IT INTO THE RIVER!"

Yanna clung onto him even more, begging him to stay. She very clearly did not like the idea of Luke challenging Hara. Luke persisted, and eventually, she calmed down and let go.

"Alright, fine. So be it. But please, don't be reckless. I've already lost my parents, I can't lose you too."

Luke gave her a kiss on the forehead and smiled.

"Everything will be alright, love. I'll return to you. I'll make sure of it."

Luke walked up to the manor, noting the state of disrepair. Windows had shattered. The wooden doors had rotten away. The house was covered in vines.

This is it. My chance to kill Hara.

Luke stepped inside the crumbling ruins of the abandoned manor. He walked up the cracked stairs, taking care to avoid the ones with gaps. When he arrived at the top, there she was, her back turned to him and her sword drawn.

Hara Eunelope. Future Countess of her house.

Luke drew his own sword and confronted her.

"This is where you die, Hara. Your bloodline ends here, in the very home you grew up in."

Hara laughed, a chilling sound that would have made any other man tremble.

"I think you've got it wrong. You're the one dying."

Luke smirked. Hara had always been arrogant, even when she debuted.

"Let's find out who the weaker one truly is, shall we?" Hara taunted.

Luke's face shifted to one of mild annoyance.

"Oh, please. You were never the type to fight, Hara. You were the type to hide behind more prominent figures and let them do the work for you."

It was Hara's turn to look annoyed.

"Oh, really? Says the man who couldn't even save his own father due to his excessive hubris."

Luke's eyes burned with rage.
"Don't you dare speak of my father like that. Don't you dare!"

Hara mocked him, her voice ringing through his head as fury and shame washed over him.

"Oh, but is it really so wrong? I mean, you didn't deem your father worthy of salvation! Your own father! You didn't even try to save him from being impaled on the rock."

Luke gritted his teeth in anger.

"ENOUGH!"

Luke brandished his sword and lunged. Hara spun around and did the same. But just when their blades had collided, a large chunk of the ceiling, still holding a magnificent golden chandelier, broke and came hurtling down towards them.

By the time they looked up, it was too late. Luke's skull shattered, hurling him into a world of darkness.